Mental Health Support in Care Homes

Aging can bring stressful changes that put older adults at risk of mental health issues.

Challenges like moving into a new home or ageing can vary and should be approached delicately. Mental health and well-being are as important in older age as at any other time of life. Increased activity and engagement can have a positive effect on quality of life and contribute to other important outcomes.

Symptoms of anxiety like irritability, worry, restlessness, decreased concentration, sleep changes, fatigue, avoidant behaviours, that can be distressing but also recognisable as signals of mental health concerns.

Many older people with anxiety have struggled with this condition since earlier in life, but the way it manifests may change over time. For example, older adults tend to be more anxious about issues such as illness, the loss of family and friends, retirement, and cognitive declines like dementia or Alzheimer’s. Only a small fraction develop anxiety after turning 65 but it is still a condition that should be addressed and treated.

Some options for treatment might be relaxation therapy, which can involve deep breathing, exercises, massage or music therapy and progressive muscle relaxation.

One method, practised at Signature, is person-centred care which is all about understanding the individuals’ needs and providing a unique care routine that works for them. Further activities should be of genuine interest to individuals in order to really enrich their lives. We work hard to improve mental health and well-being at Signature; simply having meaningful, positive conversations about someone’s past, looking through old photos, and sharing stories with them, allows carers to connect with those they support on a much deeper level, as a person. We also keep track of and log the changing moods of the residents to support and help maintain independence for as long as possible.

Advanced Treatment & Support

If our residents are facing mental health issues then we’d be happy to support personal psychologists or therapists to visit those who need to extra attention, on a regular basis ( if they wish). If they are later prescribed medication to help improve their condition then this will also be monitored and cared for by Signature care home staff.